§ 25536.7. — 25536.7. (Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 497, Sec. 165.)

(a)
(1)
An owner or operator of a stationary source that is engaged in activities described in Code 324110 or 325110 of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), as that code read on January 1, 2014, and with one or more covered processes that is required to prepare and submit an RMP pursuant to this article, when contracting for the performance of construction, alteration, demolition, installation, repair, or maintenance work at the stationary source, shall require that its contractors and any subcontractors use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all onsite work within an apprenticeable occupation in the building and construction trades. This section shall not apply to oil and gas extraction operations.
(2)
The Chief
of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the Department of Industrial Relations may approve a curriculum of in-person classroom and laboratory instruction for approved advanced safety training for workers at high hazard facilities. That safety training may be provided by an apprenticeship program approved by the chief or by instruction provided by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. The chief shall approve a curriculum in accordance with this paragraph by January 1, 2016, and shall periodically revise the curriculum to reflect current best practices. Upon receipt of certification from the apprenticeship program or community college, the chief shall issue a certificate to a worker who completes the approved curriculum.
(3)
For purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 3075 of the Labor Code, a stationary source covered by this section shall be considered in determining whether existing apprenticeship programs
do not have the capacity, or have neglected or refused, to dispatch sufficient apprentices to qualified employers who are willing to abide by the applicable apprenticeship standards.
(4)
This section does not apply to contracts awarded before January 1, 2014, unless the contract is extended or renewed after that date.
(5)
(A)
This section does not apply to the employees of the owner or operator of the stationary source or prevent the owner or operator of the stationary source from using its own employees to perform any work that has not been assigned to contractors while the employees of the contractor are present and working.
(B)
An apprenticeship program approved by the chief may enroll, with advanced standing, applicants with relevant prior work experience at a stationary source that is
subject to this section, in accordance with the approved apprenticeship standards of the program.
(6)
The criteria of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (10) of subdivision (b), subparagraph (C) of paragraph (10) of subdivision (b), and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (11) of subdivision (b) shall not apply to either of the following:
(A)
To the extent that the contractor has requested qualified workers from the local hiring halls that dispatch workers in the apprenticeable occupation and, due to workforce shortages, the contractor is unable to obtain sufficient qualified workers within 48 hours of the request, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excepted. This section does not prevent contractors from obtaining workers from any source.
(B)
To the extent that compliance is impracticable because an emergency requires immediate
action to prevent harm to public health or safety or to the environment, but the criteria applies as soon as the emergency is over or it becomes practicable for contractors to obtain a qualified workforce.
(7)
The requirement specified in paragraph (1) for a skilled and trained workforce, as defined in paragraph (11) of subdivision (b), apply to each individual contractor’s and subcontractor’s onsite workforce.
(8)
This section does not make the construction, alteration, demolition, installation, repair, or maintenance work at a stationary source that is subject to this section a public work, within the meaning of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1720) of Part 7 of Division 2 of the Labor Code. This section does not preclude the use of an alternative workweek schedule adopted pursuant to Section 511 or 514 of the Labor Code.
(b)
As used in this section:
(1)
“Apprenticeable occupation” means an occupation for which the chief has approved an apprenticeship program pursuant to Section 3075 of the Labor Code.
(2)
“Approved advanced safety training for workers at high hazard facilities” means a curriculum approved by the chief pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a).
(3)
“Building and construction trades” has the same meaning as in Section 3075.5 of the Labor Code.
(4)
“Chief” means the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the Department of Industrial Relations.
(5)
“Construction,” “alteration,” “demolition,” “installation,” “repair,” and “maintenance” have the same meanings as in
Sections 1720 and 1771 of the Labor Code.
(6)
“Graduate of an apprenticeship program” means either of the following:
(A)
An individual that has been issued a certificate of completion under the authority of the California Apprenticeship Council or the chief for completing an apprenticeship program approved by the chief pursuant to Section 3075 of the Labor Code.
(B)
An individual that has completed an apprenticeship program located outside California and approved for federal purposes pursuant to the apprenticeship regulations adopted by the federal Secretary of Labor.
(7)
“Onsite work” shall not include catalyst handling and loading, chemical cleaning, or inspection and testing that was not within the scope of a prevailing wage determination issued by
the Director of Industrial Relations as of January 1, 2013.
(8)
“Prevailing hourly wage rate” means the general prevailing rate of per diem wages, as determined by the Director of Industrial Relations pursuant to Sections 1773 and 1773.9 of the Labor Code, but does not include shift differentials, travel and subsistence, or holiday pay. Notwithstanding subdivision (c) of Section 1773.1 of the Labor Code, the requirement that employer payments not reduce the obligation to pay the hourly straight time or overtime wages found to be prevailing does not apply if otherwise provided in a bona fide collective bargaining agreement covering the worker.
(9)
“Registered apprentice” means an apprentice registered in an apprenticeship program approved by the chief pursuant to Section 3075 of the Labor Code who is performing work covered by the standards of that apprenticeship program and
receiving the supervision required by the standards of that apprenticeship program.
(10)
“Skilled journeyperson” means a worker who meets all of the following criteria:
(A)
The worker either graduated from an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation that was approved by the chief, or has at least as many hours of on-the-job experience in the applicable occupation that would be required to graduate from an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation that is approved by the chief.
(B)
The worker is being paid at least a rate equivalent to the prevailing hourly wage rate for a journeyperson in the applicable occupation and geographic area.
(C)
The worker has completed within the prior three calendar years at least 20 hours of approved
advanced safety training for workers at high hazard facilities. This requirement applies only to work performed on or after July 1, 2018.
(11)
“Skilled and trained workforce” means a workforce that meets both of the following criteria:
(A)
All the workers are either registered apprentices or skilled journeypersons.
(B)
(i)
As of January 1, 2014, at least 30 percent of the skilled journeypersons are graduates of an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation.
(ii)
As of January 1, 2015, at least 45 percent of the skilled journeypersons are graduates of an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation.
(iii)
As of January 1, 2016, at least 60 percent of
the skilled journeypersons are graduates of an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation.

Legislative History

Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 497, Sec. 165. (AB 991) Effective January 1, 2020.